Sounding it out doesn’t always work
The struggle:
Kids try to spell words phonetically (like "sed" for "said" or "nite" for "night"), but English isn’t always phonetic.
How to help:
Teach high-frequency “rule-breaker” words as sight words.
Use word families (e.g., ight words like light, night, fight).
Create a "tricky words" wall.
Silent letters confuse learners
The struggle:
Words like knight, write, and lamb throw kids off because some letters aren’t pronounced.
How to help:
Highlight silent letters in color during word study.
Teach word origins (e.g., “kn” from Old English).
Vowel sounds are inconsistent
The Struggle:
Short and long vowels (e.g., hop vs. hope) can be hard to master, and vowel teams (ea, ai, ou) are unpredictable.
How to help:
Group spelling words by vowel pattern.
Play vowel team matching games.
Clap or tap syllables to help with hearing vowel sounds.
Mixing up similar words
The struggle:
Homophones (e.g., their, there, they’re) and look-alike words (e.g., cat vs. cut) cause confusion.
How to help:
Use visual cues or sketches next to the words.
Practice in context with short sentences.
Introduce one pair of confusing words at a time.
Reversing letters or spelling backwards
The struggle:
Some kids write letters or spell in reverse (b/d, was/saw), especially in early grades.
How to help:
Use multi-sensory strategies (writing in sand, tracing, air writing).
Offer lots of practice with correct letter formation.
Don’t panic—this is normal in younger kids and usually improves with time.
Remembering spelling rules
The struggle:
Rules like “i before e” or when to double consonants are hard to remember (and full of exceptions!).
How to help:
Teach one rule at a time with fun examples.
Make up rhymes or songs.
Encourage practice with real writing, not just drills.
Rushing and skipping sounds
The struggle:
Kids who rush often miss letters or sounds, spelling frend for friend or jumpt for jumped.
How to help:
Encourage kids to slow down and say each sound as they write.
Practice segmenting words aloud (say → stretch → spell).
Use editing checklists for self-review.
